Control mechanism for empty and load brakes



March 30, 1937. w. EfwlNE 2,075,154

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR EMPTY AND LOAD BRAKES- Filed oct. 1s, 1955 sheets-'sheet` 1 March 30, 1937., w. E. WINE 2,075,154

CONTROLMECHANISM FOR EMPTY AND LOAD BRAKES Filed OC.. 18, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2` March 30, 1937. l w. E. WINE 2,075,154

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR EMPTY AND LOAD BRAKES Filed Oct. 18, 1935 4'Sheets-Sheet 3 W. E. WINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LB/WS March 30, 1937.

CONTROL MEOHANISM FOR EMPTY AND LOAD BRAKES v Filed OC.. 18, 1935 Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES CONTROL MECHANISM Fon EMPTY AND LoAn BRAKES William E. Wine, Toledo, hio y Application October 18, 1935, Serial No. 45,668

14 Claims.

My invention relates to railway cars, more particularly to mechanism for varying the vbraking power of the fluid pressure brake systems of railway cars in accordance with variations in' the condition of loading of the car.

The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and reliable means which may be easily applied to railway cars of all types for cooperating with mechanism controlling the operation of apparatus capable of varying the braking power ofthe brake system.

A primary feature of the invention consists in associating with a device, which is mounted l to one side of the center sill of the car for controlling the operation of apparatus for varying the braking power of the brake system, means operable by the device and extending into the center sill for cooperating with means capable of indicating the condition ofl loading of the car.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing in combination with a device having a member movable dilerent distances for controlling the operation of apparatus for`varying the l'braking power, means limiting the extent of movement. of said member in accordance with the light or loaded condition of the car which includes a lever movable by the member and also movable independently thereof for determining the distance the lever may be moved thereby.

Other features of the .invention residing lin advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed d out in the claims.

In the drawingsz.- V Figure l is a transverse vertical section v iew of a railway car showing the invention applied m thereto.

'7, 3-3 of Figure 2.

F;gure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the construction adjacent the central part of Figure 1.

o Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the outex` end of the operating lever and the adjacent part of the movable member of the 'control device.

Figure 'l is a View, partly in sidel elevation and partly in section, of the operating lever.

.5 Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a modied center construction of the car.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus for varying the braking power of the system and the device for controlling the operato tion of the apparatus, the various parts being (Cl. 18S-195) shown in their normal positions which correspond approximately tothe positions they occu' py'when the car is loaded.

The apparatus for Varying the braking power of the fluid pressure brakel system of the car may be of any suitable construction, the one shown in the drawings' being of the type whereby the braking power is varied by changing the lever ratio of the brake rigging of the car. This particular apparatus `is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No.

45,665, filed October 18,A 1935 and it includes a uid pressure operating cylinder I and 4a distributing valve mechanism 2 having a slide valve 3 for controllingy the passage of fluid pressure through a pipe 4 to the operating cylinder. The distributing valve mechanism may receive iluid pressure through a pipe 5 from any suitable source, such as the train pipe (not shown) of the fluid pressure brake system of the car. The operating cylinder has a rod 6 and a guide sleeve 1, both of which are connected at their inner ends to an expansible and retractable bellows 8, a spring 9 encircling the guide sleeve being provided tomaintain the rod and sleeve ir their innermost position within the cylinder.

The operating cylinder isadapted to actuate mechanism of the type disclosed and claimed 1n my copending application Serial No. 8,372, led February 26, 1935, for varying the'leverage ratio of the brake rigging (not shown) of the car. This mechanism includes a brake lever formed of two pivotally connected sections I0 and II and a member I2 adapted to be actuated by the operating cylinder to assume a position restraining movement of section I0 of the lever. The outer end of member I2, which is cooperable with lever section I0, is movably connected by a pair of links I3 to a bracket I4 rigidly mounted on a convenient portion of the car and the inner end of member I2 is movably connected'to the piston rod 1 by a bell crank lever I5, which may be suitably journaled on "bracket I4. When there is no uid pressure in the operating cylinder, member I2 is disposed in a position (see Figure 9) in which it is incapable 0f restraining movement of lever section I0 and the two sections of the lever are, therefore, capable of being moved by the brake cylinder I6 as a substantial rigid unit, but, when fluid pressure is/admitted into the operating cylinder, member I2 is caused to assume a position restraining movement of section I 0 and accordingly only section II may be moved by the brake cylinder. It will thus be evident that the operating cylinder I functions by varying the leverage ratio of the brake rigging, to vary the braking power of the brake system.

Slide valve 3, which is provided with a diaphragm I1 constantly subject to the fluid presabling fluid pressure to flow through pipe 4 to the l is mounted a relatively movable slide valve 33 for operating cylinder by a slidable bolt or the like I8, which is disposed in the path of movement of the stem I9 of the valve. Bolt I8 is formed with an aperture 20, which, when the bolt is actuatedl by iluid pressure acting on a diaphragm 2| secured to the bolt, is adapted to receive the stem I9 and thus enable the valve 3 to assume a position permitting fluid pressure to ow into the operating cylinder.

To control the operation of bolt I8 and consequently the apparatus for varying the braking power of the brake system, a device 22 is provided. This device includes a fluid pressure operated member 23 which is slidably mounted within4 casing 24 adapted 'to receive uid pressure through a pipe 25 from the distributing valve device 2. A slide valve 26 in the distributing valve mechanism controls the passage of fluid pressure to thercontrol device 22 and, in order that fluid.

pressure will only flow intol the control device during the interval the pressure in the distributing valve mechanism ls building up from a low or uncharged condition to a predetermined value, a spring 21 is associated with valve 26 for maintaining it in open position. When the pressure reaches the predetermined value, for example thirty pounds, the spring ls rendered inoperative 'and the slide valve is moved by dlaphragm 28 into a position establishing communication between pipe 25 and an atmospheric port 29, whereby fluid pressure within the control device is exhausted and member 23 is returned to its normal position by spring 30. The exhaust port 29 may, if desired, be provided with a pipe 29a. in open communication with the atmosphere.

'I'he inner end of member 23 is provided with two shoulders or abutments 3I and 32, respectively, lspaced longitudinally thereof, between which controlling the passage of fluid pressure from the control device through a pipe 34 to a chamber 35, in which the diaphragm 2I of bolt I8 is disposed.

Slide valve 33 is normally disposed in a position,

s ee Figure 9, in which, by means of a cavity 36 formed therein, it establishes communication of pipe 34 with van atmospheric port 3l, but it is capable of being moved by shoulder 3l of member 23 into a position establishing 'communication between pipe 34` and the interior of casing 24, so that fluid pressure may pass from the casing into chamber 35 for actuating bolt I8. It w^ill be evident thatif due to some mechanism cooperable with movable member 23,. the latter is prevented from moving sufliciently to cause slide valve 33 to'uncover the port communicating with pipe 34, iluid pressurewill not passfrom the con-r trol device into chamber 35 and uid pressure will, therefore, not/be radmitted into operating cylinder I but, if the movable member is permitted to move sufficiently far to enable iluid pressure to pass into chamber 35, slide valve 3 will be actuated to let fluid pressure l'low into operating cylinder and thus actuate the mechanism for varying the leverage ratio of the brake rigging.

' Operation of the apparatus for` varying the braking power of the'brake system depends, therefore, upon the extent member 23 of the control device moves.

The present invention relates to mechanism which is capable of controlling the extent of movement of member 23 in accordance with the lightor loaded conditionl of the car, that is to say,

that, when the car is empty or nearly so, the

braking power of the brake system will be less than when the car is fully loaded or substantially so. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, this mechanism comprises an element 38 which is movable relatively to one of the truck bolsters of the car preferably in a line substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the truck.

The car truck illustrated in the drawings is of conventional design and includes a bolster 39 and side frames 40, respectively having spring units 4I upon which the outer ends of the bolster are supported.

As is customary, the central portion of the top Wall of the truck bolster is formed so as to receive a center plate 42 secured to the under side of the car center sill 43, which may be conveniently formed as a unitary structure with a top wall 44 and side walls 45. A

Adjacent the truck bolster, the center s ill is provided with a reinforcing casting having a cylindrical portion 41 for receiving means pivotally connecting the truck to the car.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, the means pivotally connecting the truck to the car comprises the element 38 which, in eiect, forms the center or king pin and extends downwardly into a cylindrical portion 48 in the bolster. The lower portion of the center pin or element 38 is bored, as at 49, to

receive a lpin 5U which extends downwardly through an opening 5I in the bottom wall of the bolster. Intermediate its ends, the pin is provided with a shoulder or the like 52 engaging the lower end of element 38 and interposed between the shoulder and the bottom wall of the bolster, Vpreferably surrounding the pin,.is a spring 53 the-like 55 resting upon the uppersurface of the bottom wall of the bolster.

Disposed beneath thetruck bolster and in the path of movement of pin is means for arresting downward movement of element 38.v This means is connected to an unsprung part of the car, such as the side frames of the car truck and includes side angle bars 56 connected slightly'inwardly of their ends by angle bars 51 and intermediate their ends in the path of movement of pin 50' by a plate or -bar 58. The end angle bars may be conveniently connected to lateral pro l jections 58 'of the spring seat portions of the side frames by any suitable means, such as pins 60.

As the plate 58 is carried by an unsprung part of the car and' pin `5l) and the element 38, which is carried thereby, are supported upon a sprung portion of the car, namely, thetruck bolster, it will be evidentthat the space between plate 58 and the lower end of pin 50 vwill vary in accordance with variations in the load of the car. As less distance will intervene between plate 58 and the lower end of pin 50, when the car is loaded than when the car is empty, element 38 can not be moved downwardly as far when the ca r is loaded as whenA it is empty. 'I'he distance that element38 is movable, therefore, reflects the c onof the center sill of the' car and it may be advantageously secured to the center sill by an angle-shaped bracket 6| in such a position that the member 23 thereof will, under the influence of fluid pressure, move upwardly in a substantially vertical direction.

Operatively interposed between element 38 and member 23 of the control device is a pivoted lever 62 having laterally offset oppositely projecting arms 83 and 64. Arm 63 is disposed within the center sill and is adapted to cooperate with element 38 by engaging the upper end thereof and arm 64 is disposed extericrly of the center sill for cooperating with the upper endof movable member 23. The lever is preferably pivotally mounted in one of the side walls of the center sill and, so that it may be easily associated therewith, the arms thereof are separately formed and each is provided with a reduced hub portion 65 journaled within a cylindrical boss or the like 66 which may be conveniently formed integrally with the center casting 46. The inner end of the hub portion of one of the arms is provided with a recess forreceiving a lug 61 formed on the inner. end of the hub portion of the other arm whereby the arms are keyed against relative rotation and each of the hub portions is provided with a bore `forreceiving a rivet or the like 68 by which the arms are securely connected together.

The outer end of arm 64 is bifurcatedl to provide laterally spaced portions 69 which are disposed on opposite sides of an adjustable extension 10 of movable member'23 of the control device.

Inwardly of its outer end, extension 10 is formed with a shoulder `or the like 1l with which downwardly extending projections 12 of the bifurcated portion 69 of the arm are normally in engagement and the under sides of these projections are preferably rounded so as to have rocking engagement with the shoulder. The inner end of the extension is screw threaded into the outer end of member 23, whereby shoulder 1I may be so positioned that, when the car is unloaded or contains only a small quantity of lading, the distance between the lower end of pin and the plate 58 will be such that the pin, upon being actuated by element 38, lever 62 and the control device, will engage plate 58 when member 23 has moved sufliciently to cause slide valve 33 to uncover the port communicating with pipe 34. It will be evident that, if, when the car. is unloaded or substantially so, movement of member 23 is arrested before moving far enough to cause slide valve 33 to uncover the port communicating with pipe 34, extension 10 may be adjusted to lower shoulder 1I and thus increase the distance member 23 may be moved before being arrested. On the other hand,`if, when the car is empty or substantially so, the distance between the lower end ofpin 50 and plate 58 is so great that the pin cannot be moved sufficiently far by member 23 to cause it to engage the plate, extension 10 may be adjusted to raise shoulder 1I and thus decrease the distance between pin 50 and plate 58 to such an'extent that, when member 23 has moved suiciently to cause slide valve 33 to uncover the port communicating with pipe 38, pin 50 will be in engagement with plate 58.

To facilitate the proper adjustment of extension 10, lever 82 is so associated with movable member 23 as to have limited relative movement withrespect thereto. To this end, the bifureated portions 69" of the lever are formed at the lower i ends of projections 12 with inwardly extending lugs 13, which, when the lever is moved independf able tool.

ently of member 23 to actuate element 38 and pin 50, are adapted to engage the under side of a head 14 formed on the outer end of /the extcnsion. The distance between the upper surfaces of lugs 13 and the under side of head 14 is substantially equal to the distance member 23 must move in order to cause slide valve 33 t`o uncover the port communicating with pipe 34. The lever may, therefore, only be moved independently of member 23 an amount equal to the amount member 23 must move to uncover the port leading to pipe 34.

'I'he lever may be conveniently formed with a handle or the like 15 which may advantageously be formed as a prolongation of one of the bifurcated portions 69; so that it may be easily operated independently of the control device.

In effecting the adjustment of extension 10, which is preferably only done when the car is empty, lever 62 is manually operated. If, upon being so operated, it is found that, when the lugs 13 engage the under side of head 14, pin50 is not in engagement with plate 58, extension 18 should be adjusted to movehead 14 upwardly to enable the lever to be moved a suicient distance to bring pin 50 into engagement'with plate 58. On the A other hand, if, when the lever is manually operated, pin 50 engages plate 58 before lug 13 engages the under side of head 14, extension 1D conveniently of hexagonalshape to receive a suit- To prevent element 38 and lever 62 from vibrating while the car is in transit, spring 53 is normally in compression and it, therefore, serves to maintain the lever 62 in engagement with shoulder 1l of movable member 23.

Instead of employing a movable center pin, such as the element 38 for cooperating with lever 62, av

construction such as that illustrated in Figure 8 may be used wherein a center pin 11 having a longitudinal bore is shown. within the bore is an element 18 having a head 19 at its upper end adapted to cooperate with lever 62 (not shown in Figure 8) in the same manner that element 38 is cooperable therewith.` Engaging the lower end of element 68 is a pin 88, the upper end of which is enlarged to provide a shoulder 8l and it extends upwardly through an opening formed in a wall I82, constituting a support for the center pin 11. The lower end of pin 8D projects through an opening formed in a collar 83 removably mounted within an opening in the bottom wall of the truck bolster.

Element 18 is yieldingly supported in an elevated position by a spring 84 interposed between collar 83 and a follower member 85 which is engaged by shoulder 8| of pin 88.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art appreciate that the mechanism for cooperating with the control device to `limit movement of member 23 thereof in accordance with the condition of loading of the car is of such design that it may be easily applied to existing cars without Slidably mounted g win cal side walls, a device mounted adjacent the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the 4condition of loading of the car, said mechanism including an element movable with respect to the truck bolster in a line substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the truck, said element having a portion disposed within the center sill, and means engageable With said member and having a portion extending through one of the side walls of the center sill for cooperating with said element.

2. In a railway car having a uid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for Varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a devicemounted adjacent the center sill having a member spaced to one side of the pivotal axis of the truck and movable different distances for controlling.y the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car,

said mechanism including an element relatively movable with respect to the truck bolster and having a. portion disposed within the center sill, and means cooperable with said portion of the element and having a portion disposed exteriorly of the center sill engageable with said member.

3. In a railway car having a fluid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted adjacent the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism including an element relatively movable with respect to the truck bolster in a line substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the truck and a lever pivotally mounted on the center sill having a portion engageable with said member and a p'ortion cooperable with said element.

4. In a railway car having a fluid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition lof the car, `the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted to one side of the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance withthe condition of loading of the car, said` mechanism including an element relatively movable with respect to the truck bolster and having a'portiondisposed within the center sill, and

means pivotally mounted on the center sill having a plurality of arms, one-of said arms being disposed exteriorly of the center sill and being engageable with said member and the other of said arms being disposed interiorly of the center sill and being cooperable with said element.

5. In a' railway car having a iiuid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring ,supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted to one side of the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism forcontrolling the ext'ent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading-,of the car, f'

said mechanism including an element relatively movable with respect to the truck bolster and having a portion disposed within the center sill, and means journaled in one of the side walls o f the center sill having laterally spaced oppositely pro- -jecting arms, one of said arms being engageable with said member and the other of said arms being cooperable with the said portion of said element.

6. In a railway par having a fluid pressureV brake system provided with apparatus for varying-the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted to one side of the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition'of loading l of the car, said mechanism including an element vertically slidable in a line substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the truck, spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted adjacent the center sill having a member movable diierent distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the Aextent of movement of said mem'- ber in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism` including a: vertically l slidable element extending withinl the center sill,

spring means for maintainingsaid element in an elevated position, stop means connected to an unsprung part of the car limitingl downward movement of said element, and a pivoted lever operable by said member for-moving said element downwardly, said lever being movable independently of said-member for manually actuating said element, said member having means'movable` therewith affording a stop limiting the extent said lever is movable independently of said member.v

8. In a railway car havingI a nuid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the

combination with a `pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a'. center sill, a device mounted adjacent the 'center sill having al member movable different distances for controlling the operation-of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of l-oading member and said portion being adjustable longitudinaliy of the member to position the other one of said shoulders so that, when the lever is moved independently of the member and the car is inv a predetermined condition of loading, said lever vwill engage said last named shoulder at substantially the same time said element engages said stop means.

9. In a railway car vhaving a Huid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power'of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted adjacent the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member. in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism including a vertically slidable element extending into the center sill, and a lever operable by said member actuating said element, said lever and member ,having a lost motion connectionpermitting movement of said element independently of said member for manually operating said lever.

10. In a railway car having a uid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or'loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted to one side of the center sill having a member movable diierent distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the texent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, ysaid mechanism including a vertically slidable element extending into-the center sill, spring means normally maintaining said element in an elevated position, stop means connected to an unsprung part ofthe car for limiting downward movement'v of said element, and a lever operable by said memr for moving said element downwardly, said lever being movable independently of said member and being provided with an extension aiording a handle whereby said lever may be manually operated for actuating said element independently Yof said member.

1l. In a railway car having aV uid pressure brake system provided with apparatus for varying the braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car,

the combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supporated bolster, of a center sill, a device mounted to .one side of the center sill having a member movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism.

including an element relatively movable with respect to the truck bolster, stop means limiting relative movement of said element and truck bolster inone direction, and a pivoted lever movable by said member and cooperable with said element, said lever being normally in engagement with said member and being movable independently thereof to determine the distance said lever is movable by said member.

12. In a railway car having a fluid pressure' brake system provided with, apparatus-'for vary'- ing the braking power oi' the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the

combination with a pivoted truck having a spring supported bolster, of a device having a. member spaced to one side of the pivotal axis'of the truck and movable diierent distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism including an element movable with respect to 'the operation of said apparatus. Aand mechanism forIcontrolling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, said mechanism .including means movable with respect to the truck bolster in a line substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the truck, and pivoted means operatively interposed between said movable means and said element.

14. In a railway car having a fluid pressure brake system provided with'apparatus for varying the. braking power of the system according to the light or loaded condition of the car, the combination with a pivoted truclr' having a spring supported bolster, of a device having a member spaced to one side of the pivotal axis ofthe truck and movable different distances for controlling the operation of said apparatus, and mechanism for controlling the extent of movement of said member in accordance with the condition of loading of the car, saidmechanism including means movable with respect to the truck bolster in a line substantially coincident with thev pivotal axis of the truck, and means having a portion extending at an angle to the pivotal axis of the l truck operatively connecting said movable means and said'element.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

